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ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON
° 25, D.C.
.an
e3 34g
Gol
740
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ALO
Admiral Arleigh A, Burke, USE
eo
Chief of Maval Operations
vei: 1958
410818
Depertaent of the Navy
Washington 25, D. C,
Dear Admiral Burke:
You will recall that as a result of the March 1 detonation of the CASTLE
test series comincted by JIF-7 in the Facific in 195), the natives of
Rongelap and Utirik Atolls in the Marshall Islands were exposed to radio-
active fallout. The Atomic Energy Comission, on behalf of the U. S.
Government, has accepted responsibility for periodic medical examinations
of these Marshallese,
Since that time there have been five follow-up
medical examinations conducted by the AEC in collaboration with the Naval
Kedical Research Institute, the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory and
the Brookhaven National Laboratory. These exacinations were greatly
facilitated by the assistance afforded the medical teams by COX PACFLT
and the Coomanding Officer NAVSTATAJ,
The fifth follow-up examinations during February=April, 1958 for the
first time employed the whole body counter, an electronic device for
the measurement and identification of the total body burden of contanlnating radioisotopes, It proved an unqualified success in that it provided
direct data on the type and decree of internal contarination of a misber of
the isleniers, It wes also rseful in establishing thit there was residual
réecdiec ctlvity present in certsin foods end other reterials, Since it ie
likely that the current series ef tests has addel to the contamira.ica
level of ti.ese islancs, it is mre than ever irmceretive to contin:e these
re ideal folloveup studies and to extend the mrve; to a detailed examins-
tien of t'
ecolocical asvects of these islan-:3 special attention rast
fc riwen <2 tt.- Llocztin cotained ites cf dlet.
a7 order te accom i + this nisstc. it is precsed that a teem of adicel
‘
ecule ieut Srocielicu.s be ecrt to these islanis with their recuirc.
LT ty suorlies ai technical assistance, The experience of last
yo. 8s exrediticn, for which you graciously provided the LST "Fliss
Curt", pao.nts us to request thot an LST arain be assigned fer trarsportation and basin~ berinnine sav tise between the middle of February
= itho first of tarch, 1957, ar. requirin~ about one month overall for
co..rletior ef tission, fn LOT proved to have many advantares over otter
creft, mot the least of which was its ability to accert aml secure the
életon shielurc cieslroea cf the whole baiy counter on its tank decx,
RG 181 AGENCY/NRDL
Location
Access No.
Folder
SAN BRUNO FRC
Rex 3
f /4G2-2z 25
c
oe G
ISS
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KOA Dy a Surnsaea TO
SOB MA-225, 3-10-90
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